I guess a small congrats is in order to the Obama administration. The first regulatory shakedown on marine equipment was a success. Fairbanks Morse Engines has been slapped with a $280,000 fine and has willingly “agreed” to spend upwards of half a million dollars “on an environmental project to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA’s marine diesel engine air rules”, according to the EPA’s report.

Now, this actually gets interesting. Part of their violation comes from installing “32 uncertified FME engines as the main diesel generators on board eight new U.S. Navy’s auxiliary cargo and ammunition ship (T-AKE) class vessels.” Just so we all understand, they were working on government ships. Couldn’t there have been someone overseeing the installation just to make sure the proper engines were installed rather than letting the project proceed and fining them later?

And this all stemmed from about 40 mislabeled or non-labeled engines…ones that the government allowed to be installed. But yet they have no responsibility in any of this. Rather they swoop in as environmental superheroes and smack down the business. And this is the first action taken under the new rules within the Clean Air Act that now include all aspects of marine engines and ship building. Lets hope health care gets completely shot down from the Supreme Court. Can you imagine the regulatory nightmare that will come if that is ever fully implemented?

Youre the business, that means youre guilty. We are the government and we are omnipotent